ALMATY, Kazakhstan (AP) — Champions League soccer is coming to Kazakhstan for just the second time.
Kairat Almaty goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov saved three penalties in the shootout to eliminate Scottish champion Celtic in the qualifying playoffs on Tuesday after the teams played out a second straight 0-0 draw.
Kairat advances to the 36-team league phase 10 years after Astana played in the old group stage as the only other Kazakh team to compete with the European elite.
On Thursday, Kairat will take its place alongside title holder Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and a stellar list of European powers in the draw ceremony in Monaco.
Almaty is four time zones and thousands of kilometers (miles) east of potential opponents from England and Portugal.
Celtic, which reached the Champions League knockout stages last season, drops into the second-tier Europa League.
Two more Champions League qualifying playoffs were being decided Tuesday. Bodo/Glimt took a 5-0 lead into the second leg at Sturm Graz, and unheralded Pafos of Cyprus starts with a 2-1 lead at home to Red Star Belgrade, the European champion in 1991.
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The Associated Press
